In a world where athletes are treated like celebrities, we often look up to our favorite athletes for advice on and off the field. It’s inspiring to hear soccer players talk about their beloved team, their sweaty practices, and their humble successes. Whether your idol is Mia Hamm or Abby Wambach, here’s 15 motivational quotes from some of the top female soccer players.
1. Surpass Expectations
“There’s no better feeling than stepping out on the field and stunning them all by doing what none of them thought you could do.” — Ashlyn Harris
2. Overcome Hardship
“Whatever brings you down will eventually make you stronger.” — Alex Morgan
3. Move On
“The past doesn’t matter. Take today.” — Becky Sauerbrunn
4. Appreciate Your Teammates
“It’s that tingle in my stomach, that lump in my throat and that smile on my face that tell me I am part of an incredible team.” — Kristine Lilly
5. Be A Role Model
“We need to have women in more powerful positions that are making decisions, so when that 10-year-old girl is looking up and wondering, ‘What can I do and what do I want to be when I get older?’ She has the opportunity to do and be whatever she wants.” — Abby Wambach
6. It’s All About Teamwork
“I have never once dribbled the whole field and scored a goal by myself.” — Abby Wambach
7. Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously
“Soccer isn’t brain surgery, have fun.” — Michelle Akers
8. Find Intrinsic Motivation
“And then ultimately what I tell the kids is: coaches can give you information, they can give you guidelines, and they can put you in a position. But the only person who can truly make you better is you.” — Brandi Chastain
9. No Need to Be Feminine
“Alright, call me a tomboy. Tomboys get medals. Tomboys win championships. Tomboys can fly. Oh. And tomboys aren’t boys.” — Julie Foudy
10. Hard Work Will Pay Off
“I am building a fire, and everyday I train, I add more fuel. At just the right moment, I light the match.” — Mia Hamm
11. Legacy Matters
“Forget me. Forget my number. Forget my name. Forget I ever existed. Forget the medals won, the records broken and the sacrifices made. I want to leave a legacy where the ball keeps rolling forward, where the next generation accomplishes things so great that I am no longer remembered. So forget me, because the day I’m forgotten is the day we will succeed.” – Abby Wambach
12. Improve
“I worked on my weaknesses and made them my strengths.” — Sydney Leroux
13. Find Self-Fulfillment
“It’s about standing up and being counted and saying you’re proud of who you are.” — Megan Rapinoe
14. Live Your Passion
“Do what you love. If you love something, you aren’t going to care about the sacrifices you’re making to do whatever it is.” — Kelley O’Hara
15. Be a Champion
“The vision of a champion is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when nobody else is looking.” — Mia Hamm
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Girls Soccer Network: For Your Soccer Lifestyle